Meditation, the easy way in

Do you meditate regularly? Most people I meet are aware of the benefits gained through meditation, yet when asked how often they meditate, they often admit that they don’t do it as much as they would like. Many of my clients tell me that they find it hard to still the mind, that they just get caught up in the labyrinth of their thoughts. Perhaps the biggest hurdle for meditation is that we think of it as kind of a big deal. We think it’s got to be done in a certain way, in a specific environment, that we need time and quiet for it and that we have to sit for a long time.

My experience shows that actually a much better approach is to think of meditation as something we do all the time. Any activity or non-activity, such as waiting, can be a form of meditation. All we have to do is give whatever we are doing our full attention, be aware of our breath and let our thoughts go.

Letting our thoughts go is different from not thinking. Instead of thinking that we’ve got to stop thinking, which is a bit like trying to not think of blue elephants, we rather acknowledge the thought. We notice it, but we don’t hold on to it. Think of the thought as an old friend who drops by unannounced at an inconvenient time. We say a friendly hello, ‘thanks for your visit’, and then we kindly send them on their way. Practice this and it will get easier with time. We don't judge it, we don't get annoyed with it, we just notice it and let go.

Suddenly you find yourself wanting to spend more time in this thoughts-drift-by-peaceful-state-of-mind and in no time you'll find that you have moments where there really is no thought at all. Ah, it's like a sigh of relief and a breath of fresh air, all wrapped into one.

For ideas on different types of meditation you can do, watch my video. And leave me a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Discover Wellness Day 10 October

Spend a whole day exploring healthy raw food, juicing, fermenting, mindfulness and massage with the power of magnets. Join us at Gabriela's home near Shaftesbury